Departmental Postal Services

Daniel Kawczynski:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department uses the Royal Mail as the primary company for sending its post, parcels and packages. [238318]

Angela Eagle:
It does.

Departmental Retirement

Mr. Marsden:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees of his Department have been asked to retire on reaching 65 in each year since 2000. [218405]

Angela Eagle:
The mandatory retirement age in the Treasury is 65. Before the change in legislation in October 2006 the mandatory retirement age was 60. No employees of HM Treasury have been asked to retire on reaching 65 in any year since 2000.

25 Nov 2008 : Column 1325W

Departmental Surveillance

James Duddridge:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have made under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 to (i) undertake directed surveillance, (ii) use covert human intelligence sources, (iii) acquire communications data and (iv) undertake intrusive surveillance in the last 24 months. [221998]

Angela Eagle:
Figures on public authority use of covert techniques controlled by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) are published annually by the Interception of Communications Commissioner, the Chief Surveillance Commissioner and the Intelligence Services Commissioner who each have particular inspection and oversight responsibilities under RIPA. The latest reports were laid before Parliament and copies placed in the House Library on 22 July. The figures provided in the reports are not broken down by individual public authority use of specific covert technique as, depending on the particular technique and authority using it, this could either reveal sensitivities or be misleading. The question of further disclosure for any particular public authority is a matter for the relevant Commissioner.

Economic and Monetary Union

Mr. Drew:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next plans to assess the UK's progress in meeting the five economic tests in joining the euro. [238332]

Ian Pearson:
The Chancellor announced in Budget 2008 that

the Government does not propose a euro assessment to be initiated at the time of this budget.

The Treasury will again review the situation at Budget time next year as required by the Chancellor's June 2003 statement.

Mr. Ancram:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has held with his counterparts in the eurozone on membership of the single currency. [239557]

Ian Pearson:
Treasury Ministers discuss a wide range of issues with their counterparts in other countries, including the eurozone. The Governments policy on membership of the single currency in unchanged. It remains as set out by the Chancellor in his statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, and again in the Chancellors statement on the five tests assessment in June 2003.

Economic Situation: Hungary

Mr. Drew:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he made of the effect of the financial crisis in Hungary and Belarus on the UK economy. [238331]

Ian Pearson:
The UK's exposure to Hungary and Belarus is small and the direct effect of the financial crises in these countries on the UK economy is likely to be limited.

25 Nov 2008 : Column 1326W

Energy: Prices

Jim Cousins:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish an index of domestic energy prices (a) in total and (b) separately for (i) gas and (ii) electricity for each year since 1998. [234196]

Kevin Brennan:
I have been asked to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out an index of domestic energy prices (a) in total and (b) separately for (i) gas and (ii) electricity for each year since 1998. (234196)

Energy prices are included in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and are collected each month by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The above indices are published monthly, and attached is a spreadsheet containing the annual data for each since 1998.

Equitable Life

Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the Government's response to the Parliamentary Ombudsman's report on Equitable Life. [239214]

Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government will respond to the Ombudsmans report on Equitable Life. [239330]

Ian Pearson:
I refer my hon. Friends to the answer given on 13 October 2008, Official Report, column 1000W.

Financial Services Authority

Mr. Hurd:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells of 30 April 2008, column 476W, on the Financial Services Authority: College Public Policy, if he will place in the Library a copy of the reply from the Chairman; [237722]

25 Nov 2008 : Column 1327W

(2) pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells of 30 April 2008, column 476W, on the Financial Services Compensation Scheme: Lansons Public Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the reply from the Chairman. [237723]

Ian Pearson [holding answer 20 November 2008]: Treasury Ministers were not a party to the correspondence and are therefore not in a position to deposit the letter concerned in the Library.

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

Mr. Drew:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the financial services compensation scheme levies on the building society sector. [236158]

Ian Pearson:
The rules under which the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) raises levies from financial services firms are set by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) as set out in the FSA Handbook on its website. The accounts of the scheme and information about levies are set out in the FSCSs annual report and on its website.

Building societies are members of the FSCS and their depositors benefit from the cover provided by the FSCS in the same way as bank depositors.

Housing: Valuation

Grant Shapps:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 6 November 2008, Official Report, column 682W, on housing: valuation, if he will place in the Library a list of locality reference numbers for valuation areas in England outside London ranked in order of value significance by valuation area. [236037]

Mr. Timms:
This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Jo Swinson:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been in the (a) lowest and (b) highest income tax band in each of the last 10 years. [239262]

Mr. Timms:
Information on the number of taxpayers by marginal rate of income tax for the period 1990-91 to 2008-09 can be found in Table 2.1 Number of individual income taxpayers on the HM Revenue and Customs website at:

Inflation

Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government has taken to address the problems associated with rising inflation. [221328]

Angela Eagle:
In common with experience across the world, UK inflation increased during 2008 as the surge in global commodity prices fed through to retail prices of food, petrol and diesel, and household energy bills. 25 Nov 2008 : Column 1328W
In the UK, CPI inflation increased from 2.2 per cent. in December 2007 to a peak of 5.2 per cent. by September 2008 before falling back to 4.5 per cent. in October.

With global commodity prices having fallen sharply since the summer, petrol and diesel prices have already declined by 12 per cent. and food price inflation appears to have passed its peak. In line with external forecasts, CPI inflation is expected to fall sharply over the coming year.

The Government have shown its continued determination to help families and businesses affected by higher global prices, with targeted support when people need it most.

Kaupthing Singer and Friedland: Isle of Man

Mr. Binley:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on guaranteeing investments in Kaupthing, Singer and Friedland held in the Isle of Man by individuals who are treated as corporate clients. [230980]

Ian Pearson: [holding answer 27 October 2008]:I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) on 5 November 2008, Official Report, column 539W.

Northern Rock

Adam Price:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to designating Northern Rock a public authority for the purposes of the Welsh Language Act 1993. [234326]

Ian Pearson:
There has been no such consideration. As the Chief Secretary to the Treasury explained to the House on 21 February 2008, Official Report, columns 634-37, Northern Rock is not performing a function of public administration. During its period of temporary public ownership Northern Rock is being managed at arms length from the Government on commercial principles.

Pensioners: Income

Mr. Hoban:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the income decile boundaries are (a) excluding state pension and benefits and (b) including state pension and benefits for people (i) between 60 and 65, (ii) between 65 and 70, (iii) between 70 and 75, (iv) between 75 and 80 and (v) over 80 years. [211774]

Ms Rosie Winterton:
I have been asked to reply.

This information is given in the following tables.

The Households Below Average Income publication uses equivalised household disposable incomes before and after housing costs as a proxy for material living standards. Both before and after housing cost incomes are net of income tax, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates, pension contributions, maintenance/child support payments and parental contributions to students.

Negative before housing costs incomes are possible if a loss is made from self-employment, however any such incomes are set to zero as part of the Households Below Average Income methodology. This means that all before housing costs income are zero or greater. After housing 25 Nov 2008 : Column 1329W
cost incomes can be negative if housing costs exceed the before housing cost incomes. All incomes excluding benefit income can be negative, as no further adjustment beyond removing benefit income is made.